lahore: Pakistan left-arm spinner Noman Ali snared four wickets for 85 runs as world champions South Africa fought hard to reach 216/6 on a tricky wicket for batters in the first Test on Monday.
Left-handed Tony de Zorzi showed a lot of composure against the spinners on an abrasive wicket and was unbeaten on a skillful 81 by stumps on day two, but South Africa still trails by 162 runs.
South Africa’s own left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy took three wickets in four deliveries in a career-best haul of 6/117 to help South Africa dismiss Pakistan for 378 in the first session.
Salman Ali Agha (93) became the second Pakistan batter to narrowly miss out on a century when he was the last wicket to fall for the home team.
De Zorzi and Ryan Rickelton (71) had revived South Africa with a gritty 94-run third wicket stand and guided their side to 2-174 in the final session before the visitors lost four wickets for 26 runs to give Pakistan momentum.
Captain Aiden Markram (20) completed 3,000 runs in test matches and Wiaan Mulder (17), a triple century-maker against Zimbabwe in South Africa’s last test match, both got caught behind of Noman after Pakistan opted to deploy spinners from one end from the onset.
But Rickelton and de Zorzi blunted Sajid Khan (1-73) and Noman by not only playing deep into their crease, but also used their feet well.
Off-spinner Agha broke the threatening stand and triggered the middle-order collapse when Babar Azam plucked a spectacular one-handed catch.